Eroh wins Cumberland Spelling Bee

Published 9:45 am Tuesday, February 14, 2017

Emily Eroh, a fourth-grade student at Cumberland Elementary School, won the Cumberland County Public Schools Spelling Bee held Jan. 13.

Emily is the daughter of Ronnie and Jeri Eroh, of Powhatan.

“She competed against other grade-level winners from grades second through eighth and successfully spelled ‘strange’ to win,” school officials said in a press release.

Emily Eroh, winner of the Cumberland Spelling Bee, is presented with her new dictionary by Caroline Vick, Cumberland Middle School media specialist.

Emily Eroh, winner of the Cumberland Spelling Bee, is presented with her new dictionary by Caroline Vick, Cumberland Middle School media specialist.

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The runner-up was Nekhijah Thornton, a first grader. He is the son of Royeshia Thornton, of Cumberland. Other grade-level winners included Logan Elliott, second grade, son of Brian Elliot and Tracy Stinson, of Cumberland; Katherine Kinney, third grade, daughter of William and Victoria Kinney, of Cartersville; Annabelle Rico, fifth grade, daughter of Patrick and Heather Higgins, of Cumberland; Willa Boyer, sixth grade grade, daughter of Ian and Tina McMichael, of Farmville; Brady Mitchell, seventh grade, son of Randy and Kathy Mitchell, of Cumberland; and Muzzammil Fulani, eighth grade, son of Ismael and Aisha Fulani, of Cumberland.

According to the release, the event took place in the Cumberland Elementary School media center.

“Two students, Sydney Winslow and Anthony Worrell, served as announcers for the event,” school officials said.

“Caroline Vick, the (middle school) media specialist, called the spelling words.”

The panel of judges included Pat Allard (library volunteer), Tamatha Gordon (elementary reading specialist) and Ellen Maclin (guidance counselor).

Elementary school students Sydney Winslow and Anthony Worrell introduced the participants during the Cumberland Spelling Bee.

Elementary school students Sydney Winslow and Anthony Worrell introduced the participants during the Cumberland Spelling Bee.

Emily received a Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary, courtesy of Scripp’s National Spelling Bee and the Richmond Times-Dispatch. She will advance to the regional competition to be held on March 11, at 1 p.m. at the Library of Virginia in downtown Richmond. The winner of the Regional Spelling Bee will receive a $1,500 scholarship and an all-expenses-paid family trip to the 2017 Scripps National Spelling Bee, according to the release.

“The Scripps National Spelling Bee is the nation’s largest and longest-running educational promotion, having been conducted for over nine decades, and is sponsored by the E.W. Scripps Company. Local competitions are co-sponsored by newspapers, such as the Times-Dispatch, or other high-profile community organizations and businesses.”